Window shade pull or operator



Fan O, 1951 F. A. HOFFMAN WINDOW SHADE PULL OR OPERATOR Filed Jan. 11, 1949 INVENTOR.

Patented Jan. 9, 1951 UN [TED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WINDOW SHADE. PULL QR. OPERATOR Frank A. Hofiman, Homer City; Pa.

Application January 11, 1949, Serial No.. 70,297

the shade and drop. stick together in the area of the window pull so that unnecessary strain will be eliminated.

Another object is to provide a window shade pull having a laterally extending finger engaging portion which is roughened and/or corrugated to insure a firm and tight grip on the window pull when the same is grasped by the operator to raise or lower the window-shade.

Another object is to provide a. window shade pull which is formed of sheet metal and is provided with a U-shaped clamping portionadapted to be interlockingly pressed in position without necessitating removal of the drop stick or otherwise changing the relation of the window shade structure.

Another object is to provide a window shade pull and hand grip of the above type in which the strains and stresses on the shade structure are distributed over a wide area to thereby eliminate breakage of the drop stick and tearing of the window shade.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description of the accompanying drawing wherein Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the window shade pull showing a fragmentary portion of the drop end of a window shade to illustrate the manner in which the pull is applied to said shade.

Figure 2 is a vertical cross-sectional View taken on line 22 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows and showing the general sectional shape of the window shade pull.

Figure 3 is a rear elevational view of the window shade pull illustrating the curtain and drop stick engaging prongs to securely clamp and anchor the window shade pull in position.

Figure l is a perspective view of the window shade pull illustrating the knurled finger engaging portion of the fingerpiece.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a slightly modified form of the invention showing the finger 2 grip surface. depressed to provide a friction finger engaging surface.

Figure 6 is a perspective View oi'another slight- 1y modified form of' the invention showing the fingerpiece corrugated to form frictional finger engaging surfaces and" Figure 7 is a perspective view of a still further modified form of. the, invention illustrating the finger engaging surface of the window shade pull curved to enable the same to. be easily grasped between the fingers.

In the drawing, and more in detail; there is shown in Figures lto. linclusivaa preferredembodiment of the invention and for the purpose of convenience, of' illustration, a window shade generally designated 5 is shown having a hem 6 at the lower end formed. by a row of stitching. l for receiving a conventional drop. stick 8, (Figure 2). The, window shade. pull likewise generally designated I'll comprises a body portion ll, of U-shaped cross-section to. provide relatively short and long flanges or wall portions l 2' and i3 respectively. The flanges l2 and I3 diverge out.- wardly from their base portion andlare. adapted to be bent to conform to the cross-sectionalshape of the drop stick 8 during installation.

Turned on the relatively short flange l2 adjacent each end edge is a penetrating prong I4 which is adapted to pierce the curtain shade hem 6 and drop stick 8 when the window shade pull is installed as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The other flange l3 is angularly bent as at I5 to form a laterally extending finger engaging portion l6. As shown in Figures 1 and 2 the finger engaging portion projects laterall from the central portion of the window shade hem and is arranged to extend inwardly from the window to enable the same to be easily grasped when it is desired to raise or lower the window shade.

In order to prevent the fingers from slipping when manipulating the window shade, the upper and lower surfaces ll of the finger engaging portion l6 are knurled or otherwise machined to provide frictional finger engaging surfaces.

When it is desired to install the window shade pull, the wall or flange portions l2 and I 3 are slipped in position in straddling relation with the drop end and stick of the window shade. After said flanges are in their proper position, they are forced together by the use of pliers or the like to force the penetrating prongs l4 through the window shade hem so that they will be securely embedded and anchored in the window shade drop stick. If desired, a tassel cord can b attached to the window pull to enhance the appearance of the window shade. Thus, it will be seen that the straight wall portions or flanges l2 and I3 form clamping jaws which embrace the drop end and stick of the curtain so that said penetrating prongs M will interlockingly engage said dro stick 8.

In the modification shown in Figure 5, the body portion of the window shade pull ila is of U- shaped cross-section as before and the relatively short and long straight wall portions l2a and Ba are provided with penetrating prongs [4a and a finger engaging pull flange I611. The central portion of the pull flange Kid is depressed as at 26a to provide a round finger engaging gripping surface. The window shade pull shown in Figure 5 is applied to the drop end and stick of a conventional window shade in substantially the same manner as pointed out and described in connection with the form of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive.

In the slightly modified form of the invention shown in Figure 6, the body portion lib is similar to that shown in Figures 1 to 5 inclusive, and includes short and long straight wall portions or flanges 12b and 13b provided respectively with penetrating prongs Nb and finger engaging portions 16b. The finger engaging portion 16b is ribbed or corrugated as at 2 lb to form upper and lower finger engaging frictional surfaces.

In the modification shown in Figure 7, the body or clamping portion I la is of U-shaped section to provide short and long straight wall or flange portions I20 and 130. The short straight wall or flange portion 120 being provided as before with penetrating prongs Me and the other straight wall portion I30 being angularly bent as at 150 to form a finger engaging pull I60. The finger engaging extension [60 is arcuately curved in cross-section to form convex and concave finger engaging surfaces 23c and 240 respectively which can be easily and conveniently grasped between the fingers when the window shade is being manipulated to lower or raise the same.

The window shade pulls shown in Figures 6 and '7 are installed on the drop end of a window shade by clamping the same in position by compressing the straight wall portions or flanges into tight clamping engagement with the curtain and drop stick so that the penetrating prongs pierce the drop stick and become securely anchored therein.

It is to be understood, that the forms of the invention herewith shown and described are to be taken as preferred embodiments of the invention and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement can be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claim.

Iclaim:

A pull clip for window shades comprising a body portion U-shape in cross section having an inner wall and an outer wall with the lower edges of the walls connected by a base section, with a finger gripping flange extended at a right angle from the upper edge of the outer wall and with inwardly extended gripping prongs on the upper edge of the inner wall, the upper edge of the said outer wall upon which the said finger gripping flange is positioned extended upwardly above the upper edge of the inner wall whereby leverage is provided to urge the prongs into the material of a window shade stick upon which the clip is positioned when force is applied to the said finger gripping flange.

FRANK A. HOFFMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 723,899 Moyer Mar. 31, 1903 1,445,037 Poelle Feb. 13, 1923 1,776,289 Lofgren Sept. 23, 1930 2,222,336 Dormellof Nov. 19, 1940 2,430,974 Crawford Nov. 18, 1947 2,447,389 Borchers Apr. 17, 1948 

